Glory Days

Global warming, my a**

2010-02-16T13:54:00.035-05:00

Did we just enter into a new ice age? I must have missed the memo. Having lived in Ohio my entire life, I know that February is supposed to be just like me ... in the 40's and gray. February 2010 has been different, though. More than midway through the month, the temperature has yet to break out of the 30's. We've had snow fall from the sky each day. Last night, we were surprised by yet ANOTHER foot of snow! This dreary weather has had an affect on each of us.

Michele has been stuck in the house much more than usual. This has led to an acute case of cabin fever, an affliction brought on by staring at the same four walls for hours on end. Her remedy is a complete design change for our living room. A brief shopping excursion this past weekend resulted in a new entertainment center, coffee table, end tables, and high definition TV. New paint and curtain decisions have already been made, as have my plans for the weekend...thanks, honey! Of course, after 22 years of marriage, experience tells me that these design changes and color schemes will all be brought together by the new pillows on the couches - which were purchased two weeks ago. I should have seen this coming...

Ian and Nathan have used their time off from school -- why don't adults get snow days? -- to keep us laughing. Even though they are annoying teenagers, I'm glad to have them home. Being stuck in the house surely affects them too, yet it seems that they've had a blast these past few weeks. The first big snowfall provided them with all the building materials they needed for their own little home improvement project. Using empty recycling containers, eight hours of free time, and a little guilt trip they laid on me, we were able to build an igloo in the front yard. I've constructed a few snow forts in my lifetime, but this one tops them all. Following the second & third snowstorm of the month, the boys have added furntiture, a den, two baths, a second bedroom, and a media room to their snow house - just kidding. Still, they've added a six-foot hallway since then.

Trying to look goofy...mission accomplished

The boys have also earned a chunk of cash for shoveling the drive this winter. They've obviously noticed that the value of this chore has increased in direct correlation with my age. I probably pay more than the going market rate, but hey, my back is feeling a few years younger now.

Guinness has the best attitude of all regarding the snow. As long as she's fed, and gets some affection & fresh air a few times each day, she's just fine. I guess that is all we need, too.

Baseball practices begin next week for Nathan. Ian has an outdoor soccer game at the University of Cincinnati on February 27. The schedulers of these events must not have received the memo either. With luck, the snow will be melted by May...but the snow house might still be here.

Nate Cuatrocero

2010-01-05T15:04:00.057-05:00

Nathan has kept us busy with his sports schedules these past few weeks. He completed a successful middle school football season in which the Grizzell Celtics finished with a record of 6-2. He played center and cornerback - a weird combination, I know.

With his prior training as a soccer goalkeeper, Nathan has developed great hand/eye coordination and the ability to consistently catch anything thrown or kicked in his direction. So, it's obvious that while he loves playing center, a part of him wishes to play a position in which he can use his talent for catching the ball.

This winter, he's playing indoor flag football at the Sports Ohio Field Sports facility. He plays for the Bengals, and wears number 40. Lately, I've been calling him Nate Cuatrocero - like Chad Ochocinco. Yet, due to his affinity for the Cleveland Browns, I'm pretty sure that Nathan doesn't like this comparison.

Last week, he had a few passes thrown his way and he hauled down each one. A leaping, one-handed grab resulted in a touchdown. Luckily, I was able to capture it on video.

Tomorrow, his team will play in the championship playoffs. Wish him luck !!

Yet ANOTHER season begins

2009-12-28T12:12:00.065-05:00

Recently, Ian began playing with a new club soccer team - the Columbus Crew Juniors Gold U15. Immediately after the high school season, during which he broke a school record for varsity goals and assists recorded by a freshman, Ian began practicing with his new club team. After just a few training sessions, the team traveled to Raleigh, NC for the CASL College Showcase. This tournament gave me another great opportunity to share his passion for the sport, and provided a chance for him to be seen by some of the 500 college coaches who attended the tournament.

We left Columbus early Friday morning so that we could make it to Raleigh in time for the NCAA College Cup Final Four, which was conveniently being played in nearby Cary. After the 8 hour drive from Dublin, we watched the Virginia Cavaliers defeat the Wake Forest Demon Deacons by a score of 2-1 in overtime. We really wanted to attend the second game which featured Akron vs. North Carolina, but the cold weather and an early morning match caused us to head back to the hotel for warmth and some much needed sleep. The next morning, the Crew played the Freestate Red Devils, a top team from Maryland. Having never played with his team before this match, Ian was anxious to make a contribution, in order to earn the respect and trust of his new teammates. No more than five minutes into the match he accomplished just that with a nice goal in which he received a crossing pass from the left corner, feinted left to move the keeper to the far post and then placed a simple ball which quickly found the back of the net at the near post. Up 1-0 so early in the game, his team played possession soccer for the rest of the match, securing a 2-0 victory. Later in the day, he would score what proved to be the winning goal against the nationally ranked Calverton SC Revolution. He's mentioned in the recap of the weekend found on the Crew website.

Between games, we were able to visit the Duke University campus, in Durham, NC. Duke has always been Ian's first choice of prospective colleges, and this visit was somewhat like a pilgrimage for him. The campus is beautiful. Located in the middle of a forest, most of the buildings are stone with some serious Gothic architecture. Of course, Ian quickly gravitated to the athletic grounds:

A life-long Cameron Crazie

Koskinen Soccer Stadium

After the CASL Showcase, Ian and I attended the NCAA College Cup National Championship game. The game saw the #1 Akron Zips take on the #2 Virginia Cavaliers. The weather was HORRIBLE. The temperature stayed on the short side of 40° - with a hard rain falling for most of the game. We arrived early with some extra tickets which had been given to us by the Crew team manager. In the parking lot, we happened upon some Akron fans who were in need of tickets. Ian gave them our extras free of charge...so we had quickly found some new friends whom invited us to join their tailgate party. Unfortunately, they also may have taught Ian a few rowdy soccer chants and demonstrated how to shotgun a beer. Despite their coaxing, I didn't let Ian partake in that one. Regardless, we enjoyed our time partying with this crazy group of Akron students and alumni. Too bad the game ended in a shootout, won by Virginia 5-4.During the game, I took off my clothes and danced with the Akron mascot, Zippy. Maybe you saw me on ESPN?

Just kidding, it's not me...really.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T14:02:00.016-05:00

Earlier this week, we received just a dusting of snow here in central Ohio. Not nearly the deluge that hit most of the East Coast, but it was enough to set the mood for the week leading up to Christmas. I must admit that our busy lives had kept us from reflecting on the specialness and significance of the season in the weeks leading up to today. However, as I sit here on the couch with a full belly and warm heart, thoroughly drinking in the love and laughter of my family as they enjoy their Christmas treasures, I am overcome with the knowledge that we are truly blessed and loved by our Heavenly Father. It's funny how things like a little snowfall, the smells of good food, and the laughter of loved ones can prepare you for that realization...

These photos were taken in the early morning, just before sunrise, from our back patio. The low light makes the scenes seem black & white. Most of the snow in the trees was gone by noon, but lasted long enough to set the mood for what has been a wonderful week.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

Sounds of the season

2009-12-22T16:02:00.009-05:00

Nathan continues to be the music man in our family. This year, he quit the select choir to concentrate on his newly discovered talent for the upright bass.

There once was a time when the sound of stringed instruments in the hands of young people sounded just like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Nathan and his classmates have completely erased this notion with their ability to play music that sounds just as it was intended...or better! We are very proud of him for all of the time and effort he has put into this new endeavor. Enjoy some "sounds of the season" by the Grizzell String Orchestra:

7th Grade Orchestra

Dublin Youth String Orchestra (Nathan in back row)

Time Flies

2009-10-27T20:44:00.026-04:00

It seems like it was only yesterday that this photo (above) was taken. Actually, it was snapped over 10 years ago. The occasion was the Indian Run Pre-School picnic at Coffman Park. In the photo, Ian has his arm around his best friend at the time, Sarah. Yet, when he was very young, Ian had a strong fascination with little red-haired girls. In fact, Michele used to jokingly call him Charlie Brown because of this fascination. The little red-haired girl standing in front of him is Britt...

Ten years later, the occasion was the Dublin Jerome High School homecoming dance. We discovered that Ian had asked Britt to the dance less than two days before the big day. Up until that time, Ian had told us that he wasn't planning to go. I must admit that I was happy to hear that he had changed his mind, and even happier to learn that he had asked Britt.

Time flies by so quickly, and experiences like homecoming dances are precious, largely because of the evanescent nature of those memories. This blog was created with the intent of documenting those life experiences or glory days.

Ian and Britt joined more than a dozen other freshmen & sophomores on a party bus that whisked them off to Buca di Beppo for dinner. They all agreed that this time together was their favorite part of the night. After dining, they asked the driver to take his time returning to the high school so that they could arrive fashionably late for the dance. The actual homecoming dance received lukewarm reviews from most of the kids. Afterward, they all partied at a friends home. When I picked up Ian at the end of the night, the size of the smile on his face told the story of lifelong memories made, and shared, with friends.

At age 4

Karma

2009-10-24T12:58:00.065-04:00

As Ian had handled some recent bad luck with an extraordinarily positive attitude, it was only a matter of time before karma sent some better luck his way.

Two weeks ago, Ian made it back onto the soccer pitch following a quick recovery from a broken collar bone. It didn't take him long to get back in stride. His touch was spot on and he was able to put a couple of balls in the net during the last three games of the JV season. On an extremely cold and rainy night, following his last JV game, he was asked to join the VARSITY team for their game that night against the number one team in the state: the St. Francis DeSales Stallions.

Michele and I were very happy for him, but I must admit that we were really looking forward to getting out of the cold...and Ian playing with the varsity meant we would sit on the those cold hard bleachers for another two hours. We thought that, as a freshman, he would simply sit on the bench and watch the upperclassmen play. However, after the starting center midfielder left the game with a concussion, Ian was called into the game. He played well. On the bus ride home, the coach asked him to join the varsity team for their run into the state playoffs! Last night, he played a good 60 minutes in the first playoff game against Marion-Franklin. He scored two goals and had two assists from his center midfield position. The next game will take place on Wednesday against the winner of the contest between Marysville and Pickerington.

UPDATE: Dublin Jerome beat Pickerington by a score of 6-0
UPDATE: Dublin wins District Championship by a score of 2-1

GO CELTICS!

Some action photos taken by another soccer dad:

Freak of nature

2009-10-04T23:06:00.014-04:00

As described in a previous post, Ian broke his collar bone four weeks ago. After an initial x-ray on September 3rd, he was told that he would be unable to play soccer for another six to eight weeks. He quickly did the math and determined that this prognosis would essentially end his high school soccer season. Ian asked if there might be any chance that he could play yet this season. The doctor told him, "well, I suppose that you could be some freak of nature whom completely heals in four weeks."

Fast forward four weeks: A follow up x-ray showed that Ian's right clavicle had completely healed. The area around the break was now almost twice the size of his left clavicle! I guess there is a benefit to drinking nearly a gallon of milk a day.... and it doesn't hurt to be a freak of nature either.

Needless to say, Ian is happy to be playing again.

Wish him luck.

Unlucky

2009-09-13T21:51:00.032-04:00

In a previous post, I described how Ian had broken his arm playing soccer this summer. He couldn't wait to get the cast removed in time for his first official high school soccer game on September 1st. That game saw the Dublin Jerome Celtics defeat the Westerville North Warriors by a score of 2-0.

In the second game of the season, Jerome played Olentangy Orange in a chippy, brutal match. The Celts were not playing well, so Ian was determined to make a difference. In a tenacious move through the middle third of the field, he was tripped up by two Warrior defenders. Subconsciously protecting his recently broken arm, he went down hard to the turf on his right shoulder. Incredibly, no foul was called. Ian jumped back up and resumed play for another five minutes or so, until the pain became too much for him.

On the sidelines, the trainer recognized a suspicious bump on his right collar bone. A trip to urgent care resulted in Ian hearing the words he was dreading...."broken clavicle"...."no soccer"...."six to eight weeks." I could see him quickly doing the math in his head. He'll likely be cleared to play again for the very last game of the high school season. However, he is taking the news pretty well. The club soccer season begins November 2nd.

Here are some photos of Ian's high school debut:

Winning a 50-50 ball.

Celebrating a goal...good times.

Anticipating the aftermath of a hard, solid slide tackle.

Going up for a header in close quarters...maybe too close.

White men CAN jump.

....and new seasons begin

2009-08-28T12:19:00.044-04:00

The 2009-2010 school year started this week in Dublin. Nathan began the seventh grade at Grizzell Middle School, Ian went into the 9th grade at Dublin Jerome HS...and I began to feel like an old man. Both boys have been working toward their new beginnings all summer, with preparations for their respective fall sports seasons.

Nathan went through summer conditioning and two-a-days to prepare for the football season. He has already played two scrimmages in which he started at center and logged a lot of playing time at defensive back. He worked really hard in conditioning seesions and it is paying off for him. At the end of a recent scrimmage, the mother of one of his teammates commented that she had noticed how hard Nathan was working in practices. She stated that he finished first in all of the wind sprints which come at the end of each practice. When I congratulated Nathan, he was modest and said that the only reason he won each race was because he "ran with the hogs" on the offensive line. As with everything he does, we are extremely proud of him.

Ian started preparing for high school soccer back in June. He would do weight training in the morning, and would attend open field scrimmages in the afternoon. In July, he broke his right arm in a collision with another player in one of the open field sessions. He wore a cast (which his trainer wrapped with a huge, hideous foam contraption) for all of his remaining scrimmage games - during which he started at center midfield. Some Columbus Crew players (Robbie Rogers, Danny O'Rouke, and others) signed his cast. After this, Ian didn't let anyone else sign it. The cast was removed last week, just in time for his first game, against Westerville North, which will be played on Tuesday, September 1st.

Michele has joined the PTO, and was very active in freshman orientation activities. Tonight, she and the boys attended the tailgate party before the first Jerome football game of the season.

GO CELTS !!

Another season ends...

2009-08-22T13:20:00.022-04:00

I can't believe that summer is almost over. When I was younger, the conclusion of baseball season was always a foreboding that the end of the summer was near and that the FUN would soon become a little less free-spirited and a lot more structured. The end of summer baseball season meant that the dread would be ever-present, as a return to school was imminent.

Nathan had a good season of baseball in the Dublin Youth Athletics Bronco Major League. At the end of the post season tournament, he was chosen as an all-star. This meant that he was eligible to play in the annual all-star tournament. His all-star team was called the Dublin BLOOD PIES. The league commissioner stated that he wanted to name the team after "something Irish." He was hungry, so he came up with the Bangers, Mashers, & Blood Pies (all Irish food). While Blood Pies is an unusual name for a baseball team, it sure beat playing for the Dublin Haggis or the Dublin Fish & Chips.

In the final all-star game, Nathan made a crazy, diving catch in the outfield to rob the other teams big hitter of a sure triple. If the cameras had been rolling, I'm certain that you would have seen it on ESPN's Top Ten Plays. Of course, I could be a little biased...

That's Nathan in the back row, first on the right, and trying hard not to smile. I'm sure some of you will have questions about the kid in the front. Did you ever see the (original) Bad News Bears? By the way, this classic is on my list of the top five sports movies ever made. Maybe I'll have a separate post about this topic sometime. Anyway, the kid in the front row is the real-life version of Tanner Boyle. During the trophy award ceremony on the field after the game, I expected him to yell, "Hey Yankees, you can take your apology, and your trophy, and stick them straight up your @$#%!" while non-alcoholic beer sprayed everywhere. It would have been 1976 all over again.

Carolina STILL in my mind

2009-08-05T17:52:00.035-04:00

It's been over a month since our return from vacation in Charleston, SC. So now I'm longing to go back! These family getaways bring out the best in each of us, and remind us of what is important...

each other.

While visiting, we stopped at Rosebank Farms on Johns Island. This place is one of our favorite stops on the road back from Kiawah Island. Michele and I first stopped here in 1992 (B.C. - before children) for peaches, tomatoes, and fresh seafood - our beach staples. Rosebank is much, much more than a roadside stand. They also have a menagerie of low-country farm animals, which include chickens, rabbits, goats, pigs, cows, mules, and others. Since Michele has a special connection with all animals, you can guess where she gravitates when we visit...

Michele and a new friend.

Nathan inherited Michele's love of animals. I'm somewhat surprised that we did not "accidentally" drive away with a new pet hidden in the backseat. And yes, his teeth are blue...a result of his new blue braces and Grape Nehi.

Ian found a friend in Bluebell the Mule.

My niece Jessie recently blogged about skimboarding. Ian first learned to skimboard when he was 7, and has gotten to the point where he makes it look easy (it's not, so I don't even try anymore).

This was the first beach vacation in which we were able to take the entire family. Suzanne and Mark were kind enough to invite Guinness, too! She handled the drive well, and was a real good dog. Of course, driving 1400 miles affords many opportunities for riding with your head out of the window, so she was an extremely happy pooch. Although it is not the best photo, I love how Michele and Guinness appear to have the same facial expression. Like mother like daughter, I guess...

We can't wait to do it all again, soon!

Carolina in my mind

2009-07-29T18:33:00.016-04:00

In my mind I’m goin’ to Carolina
Can’t you see the sunshine

Can’t you just feel the moonshine

Ain't it just like a friend of mine

To hit me from behind?

Yes I’m goin’ to Carolina in my mind

-James Taylor

I couldn't believe that it had been a whole year since our last family vacation. As always, I desperately needed to see the water, hear the waves crash, and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Something deep within my soul demands that I make a pilgrimage to large bodies of water at least once a year. Evolutionists might say that this is some instinctive behaviour passed down from some ancient ancestor. Well, I'm not so sure about that, but I do feel much more alive when I'm at the beach for some reason....

This year we headed to South Carolina to visit Michele's mom Suzanne, who has recently moved to Charleston with her husband, Mark. Michele has always been extremely close to her mom, so this move has been somewhat hard on her. Yet, Charleston is one of our favorite cities, so I'm sure that we will happily visit often. Mark & Suzanne live along the Ashley River, near the old plantations, just southwest of the city. They also are only 20 miles from Kiawah Island, Folly Beach, Sullivans Island, and other beaches... an added plus! The entrance to their subdivision is on Rhett Butler Drive (really). The live oaks and spanish moss signal your arrival in the ol' south.

On our first day, we went down to the waterfront to see the final departures of the tall ships which were in town for the Charleston HarborFest. Mark's office is in the Maritime Building, just steps from the waterfront park pier, from which these pictures were taken:

Personally, I don't consider it a "vacation" unless a boat is somehow involved. Luckily, we were all able to take a boat from Bohicket Marina on Johns Island to the mouth of the Edisto River at the Atlantic Ocean. Michele and I have taken this trip a few times. However, the new Sea Pro boats are much nicer than the old Carolina Skiffs (floating bathtubs) we used to rent. The Sea Pros came equipped with GPS, depth finders, marine radios, live wells, etc.

Before we arrived, Suzanne had been bragging to Mark about my supposed skills as a boat captain. We'd had an outstanding boating experience in these same waters over 17 years ago, and she used this as evidence for her claim (it's a good story, which has been properly embellished over time). My own family doesn't share Suzanne's confidence in my skills. Although I did get a "nice job, captain" from the marina's harbormaster, following this most recent trip, when we docked and tied up in a very tight space.

One of these days, I hope my family appreciates the experience and knowledge they've gained on boats. Michele is an awesome first mate. After numerous trips like this one, she instinctively knows what to do (and when) without any instruction from "the captain." We make a pretty good team, I think. Michele mans the anchor and bow, and she remains the best fisherman in the family. Nathan is learning to navigate, and Ian is....well, Ian is a good passenger.

We beached on the (mostly) deserted Botany Island. The boys, Michele, Mark, and Suzanne jumped ashore while I anchored in deeper waters. The beach scenes in the movies "The Patriot" and "Cold Mountain" were filmed right here. "The Notebook" was filmed just across the river on Edisto & Wadmalaw Islands. I can see why... the natural beauty of this place seems untouched by time and modernity.

After a short stroll and some shelling, everyone hopped back into the boat for a little fishing. We tried the nearby shell mounds (prehistoric trash dumps), which were likely built by the Edisto Indians over 4000 years ago. We didn't fare too well there, so we moved the boat closer to Privateer Point, on Seabrook Island. The fishing and crabbing was much better here. Ian worked hard to hone the fine art of crabbing with a chicken neck tied to kite string. He was able to catch one Atlantic Blue crab and one hermit crab using his trademark "toe method"....when you feel a tug on your toe, just pull up the line.

Michele caught a few nice fish, but the "big ones" just weren't biting on this day. Maybe next time. When we got home I took a peek at some previous vacation photos. I'd guess that I have at least 20 photos (dating back to 1989) of Michele with a fish, and they all look just like this current one...she just doesn't age.

After some dolphin (plus one shark) watching, and swimming (just me, due to aforementioned shark), we cruised back to the marina...another awesome day in the Carolina low country!

Heaven on Earth

2009-07-15T18:48:00.018-04:00

Heaven on earth.

Even though I believe my little family views me as the stereotypical bumbling father (e.g. Homer Simpson, Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor, or Ray Romano) they must still love me. For Father's Day, I was given this beautiful red hammock. When I'm lying in it, I feel like a king.

"Hammock-eye" view of the "kingdom."

Loyal subject.

Thanks, Family.

I love you, too.

Bursting with pride...

2009-06-18T22:26:00.015-04:00

It's been awhile since my last blog entry...I'll try to catch up!

"Bursting with pride." I had really never given that expression much thought until a few weeks ago, when I believed that I actually might rupture during a speech at Ian's middle school graduation ceremony.

Michele had been called a week or so before the ceremony by the principal, who wanted to be sure that we would attend, as Ian was up for an award. She was told that Ian had won the "Citizenship" award, which apparently was a big deal at his middle school.

On graduation day, we sat on the bleachers in the gymnasium as certificates were distributed and awards were given for things like achieving higher than a 4.0 throughout middle school, or other academic feats. At the very end of the ceremony, and with the final award, the principal took the podium and began to honor the winner of this year's Citizenship Award. He began the speech with a description of the recipient. No one other than Michele & I knew that Ian was to win the award. Evidently, the staff keeps this secret until the award is given. Ian himself knew absolutely nothing about it. In fact, during the principal's speech, he was somewhat slouched in his seat, anticipating the end of a long ceremony.

While the principal read the award speech, I was overcome with pride as he described the person who would win this year's award. A parent's love knows no boundaries. We love unconditionally, and are always proud of our kids, right? Yet, it is not often that we get to hear what others think about our children. This additional pride was almost enough to make us burst:

Well done, Ian. We're VERY proud of you!

Geek Chic

2009-05-20T21:08:00.011-04:00

Ian has always been somewhat of a trend-setter. Therefore, there was only a small hint of surprise when he told us that he wanted a bow tie to wear for his final 8th grade dance. I must admit that when I think of bow ties, the images that come to mind are Orville Redenbacher, Winston Churchill, the Cat in the Hat, and Tattoo from Fantasy Island. Yet, Ian was sure that he would (in his words) "make this look good." Guess what... I believe he was right. Although, for some reason, I had a strong urge to order a drink from him. If you didn't experience the 80's, then you just won't understand that reference.

Anyway,you can bet that the bow ties will be flying off the store shelves in the Dublin area before the next middle school dance!

The Music Man is a teenager?

2009-05-18T20:46:00.018-04:00

I can't believe it...now I've got TWO teenagers at home. I realize that this post is a little late, but Nathan turned 13 years old on May 1st. Yes, his cake is pink in the picture. Not his choice of color, but rather a result of the natural coloring of the strawberry icing. However, this was one of the most delicious cakes Michele has ever made...and that is really saying something!

As described in a previous post, this is still very much the "Year of Nathan." Of course, his year couldn't be without music. Earlier this school session, Nathan made the select (ensemble) choir. This meant he had to sacrifice some sleep so that he could go to school a little earlier once a week for an extra choir practice. Yet, a few weeks ago we discovered that he was also using his study hall to learn to play the bass. After just three weeks of practice, he was asked to join the school orchestra for the Spring Strings concert!

The strings concert was awesome, and the talent of these kids was remarkable. I could also understand why Nathan decided to play in the orchestra next year. The director allowed the students to choose some popular music to play in their concerts. This year, they played Viva la Vida by Coldplay, and they nailed it! The director also allowed some modern instruments, like electric violin and electric bass. I think she is pretty savvy for trying to inject a little "cool" factor into a middle school music program.

Tonight, Nathan sang in the Spring Band/Choir concert. He sings real well, but is also very serious about it...no smiling allowed, apparently. That's him in the middle of the second row in the large group, and on the far right (near the piano) in the smaller group.

You Rock, Nathan !!

Earworm REMEDY !!!

2009-05-07T14:05:00.025-04:00

A recent post described my week long earworm problem. This has truly been bothering me this past week, and affecting my work, since some of my co-workers found my singing of Big Butter Jesus (under my breath, of course) to be a bit distracting in meetings. In addition, many of them were worried that my earworm might be more contagious than the Swine Flu...I wonder if wearing surgical masks over your ears prevents this affliction? Hmmm....

Yesterday, a good friend of mine prescribed a remedy for earworm infestation. He told me that the only cure was to replace the earworm with an equally catchy tune, yet one that I will hear more often in daily life - on the TV, radio, etc. His suggested Rx was Mickey. However, even though it is a catchy little ditty, I just couldn't get "oh Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind. Hey Mickey!" to stick... so I tried a few more songs.

Well, I am happy to report that I am now mostly free of the Big Butter Jesus earworm. Thanks go out to Marty, for his suggested cure. Yet, there are some side effects...sing along with me:

¯...They say a man should always dress for the job he wants. So why am I dressed up like a pirate in this restaurant? It's all because some hacker stole my identity. Now I'm in here every evening serving chowder and ice tea. Should'a gone to free credit report dot com [yee haw]. I could'a seen this comin' at me like an atom bomb. They monitor your credit and send you e-mail alerts. So you don't end up selling fish to tourists in t-shirts...¯

Earworm infestation

2009-05-04T23:41:00.025-04:00

Have you ever had an earworm? You know, a song that gets stuck in your head like freshly chewed bubble gum which has become adhered to your shoe while you are walking on hot asphalt? For the past three days, I have not been able to get this ridiculous song out of my head. It's there in the morning when I wake, it's there in the shower (so I sing it aloud), it's there while I work (I whistle the chorus), and last night I even dreamed about singing it!

Of course, my earworm couldn't be some classic rock tune or even Susan Boyle singing "I Dreamed A Dream" from Les Miserables. Nooo....my earworm just has to be a song by Heywood Banks, called "Big Butter Jesus."

On I-75, between Dayton and Cincinnati, the Solid Rock Church erected a 62-foot statue of Jesus Christ which seems to explode from the earth in front of the church. However, the statue is also quite crude in construction and has an off-white, almost yellow hue....seemingly carved from butter. Heywood Banks has written a song about it.

The song may be a little sacrilegious, but probably much less so than a 62-foot graven image of Christ emerging from a pond along the interstate. Plus, I tend to believe that our Heavenly Father and his Son have a good sense of humor. Now if I could only get this stupid song out of my brain....please help me.

Germany/Holland Tour 2009

2009-04-07T22:36:00.026-04:00

On Sunday, Ian arrived home safely from his soccer tour of Germany & The Netherlands. We are so glad to have him home! Surprisingly, he even received a big welcome home hug from his little brother. Trust me, this is a big deal for teenage brothers. Anyway, I'll attempt to update a little here, but maybe I can turn the blog over to Ian for a few days so that he can chronicle his trip....?

Setting foot on foreign soil - '94 Boys ODP

and then, jet lag set in.....

mmm...bratwurst.

Checking out the sights in Rudesheim.

A typical Rudesheim alley.

Ian's roommate, Jevon.

In Holland, with the '94 Girls, on a statue of Rembrandt.

The windmill from many of Rembrandt's paintings.

'94 Girls & Boys teams outside of the stadium and training grounds in Mönchengladbach.

The tunnel leading onto the field at Borussia Park, the home of Borussia Mönchengladbach. As his team walked out onto the pitch, this song played. Ian still gets goosebumps when he hears this. Mönchengladbach has a history with American players, including Kasey Keller and Michael Bradley (current star on the US Men's National Team). Ian told his guide to remember his name, as it is now his dream to play for M'gladbach.

The pitch at Borussia (Prussia) Park.

They are still kids after all....

Much like Frank Ruettiger in the movie RUDY, I needed to see Ian in uniform and playing in a game in order to believe that this trip was really about soccer. Especially after hearing Ian's stories - most of which had NOTHING to do with soccer. Here he is in attack against one of the top youth teams in all of Germany: the Borussia Monchengladbach Academy. Many of these kids already have signed professional contracts! Final score: 4-1 M'gladbach. Ian said the game was much closer than the score indicated, and that he was proud of how well his team competed. Hopefully, I'll be able to persuade him to take over the blog for awhile so that he can regale you with all of his new stories!

STAY TUNED...

The Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming

2009-03-28T12:57:00.041-04:00

Ian left for Germany yesterday. While there was much excitement and anticipation leading up to this trip, I can't begin to tell you the full range of emotions we experienced yesterday as he left. I think this has hit Michele very hard. Giving up our fourteen year old son to strangers for a week and a half was tough. Add the distance (4000 miles) between us, and it made for an emotional "gute reise" or "bon voyage."

Yet, this is such a great opportunity for him. It is also a fine reward for all of the hard work he has put forth to get to this point. Ian will be playing soccer against some of the top youth teams in Europe this week. His U-14 Olympic Development Program (ODP) team left Cincinnati for Frankfurt last night. He has played with or against most of the kids on this team at various club tournaments over the past few years, so I've gotten to know a few of them. It really is a nice bunch of boys. However, the kids were so excited to leave that they were mostly oblivious to the adults in the airport.

Ian called us at 8:00 AM this morning. He arrived safely, and has already done a little sight-seeing. The team has a tour bus with a full-time guide for the entire trip. Therefore, they will be able to see some of the sights between games as they travel through Germany and Holland. This morning, his team took a cable car ride through the vineyards and across the Rhine River, on their way to Cologne. After a brief stop to tour the Cologne Cathedral, they will end up in the little town of Straelen, located on the Germany/Holland border, which will serve as their home base for the next week. They'll be staying at the Straelener Hof, with the entire hotel reserved for the U-14 boys AND girls teams (yes, this was a hot topic this past week).

The boys team flew to Germany with two team administrators, two coaches, and a few parents. However, the parents do not travel with the boys, nor stay with them in the team hotel. Essentially, they travel as spectators or fans for the games. They also have a different tour itinerary. As much as I would have liked to have gone on this trip, the cost prevented me from going...and Ian didn't seem too disappointed for some reason. Yet, it will not be ALL fun and games for him. Ian will still have to do his school work, read, and write (daily) in a journal. I've also heard rumors of plans for a blog to be written during their stay. If I receive more details of the blog, I'll provide a link.

Tomorrow, the team is planning a trip to The Netherlands, with a stop in Amsterdam for a visit to the Anne Frank House. They will also visit a traditional cheese farm and clog maker. I asked Ian to take as many pictures as possible. He even took an extra memory card. We'll see if he can keep his promise to take lots of pictures, but avoid the red light district. Actual games begin on Monday against SV Straelen in Germany. GO OHIO & GO USA !!

The Sixth Challenge

2009-03-05T00:00:00.028-05:00

My sister Diane gave me the following challenge from her blog:

1. Go to the photos folder in your computer.
2. Go to the sixth folder.
3. Go to the sixth picture.
4. Put the picture on your blog along with a description.
5. Invite six friends to join the challenge.

So, here is the picture:

This photo was not staged. Our pets are just freaks. Of course, it could be a sign that we are headed for a disaster of biblical proportions. You know, "human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!" The dog (Guinness) and cat (Murphy) appear to genuinely like each other. However, they do compete mightily for Michele's attention during all waking hours. Yet, at the end of the day, you can find them using each other as pillows.

Our other cat (Yoshi) is highly neurotic and skittish. Therefore, it's very surprising that he is comfortable enough to sleep on the dog. However, I must admit that EACH of us have used the dog as a pillow at some point in time.

Finally, while looking in this folder, I found this picture of Ian & Nathan which was taken in our yard last year. The quality of the photo is not great, but it did capture a common sight... hearty laughter resulting from a joke shared only among brothers.

Year of Nathan

2009-02-16T11:22:00.007-05:00

More from the "Year of Nathan." As discussed in a previous post, Nathan has met quite a few famous people this year. What's really cool about this is the fact that the setting for each encounter was not the typical "let me sign this and get outta my face" autograph session. Nathan was able to meet these people in somewhat normal situations which allowed him the opportunity to actually sit and talk with them.

At a recent Dublin Coffman game, David Archuletta sang the national anthem. Since Nathan is the Coffman waterboy, he was able to hang out with David before the game. Nathan commented that David was "a kid, just like me."

I'm happy to report that the "Year of Nathan" has not yet come to an end. He has achieved straight A's this year in school. Yesterday, his basketball team defeated the top 6th grade squad in the area. Nathan led his team in assists, and had the shot of the game... a driving, baseline reverse lay-up over the tallest (5'9") player in the league. Great job, buddy.

For those about to ROCK....

2008-11-25T23:05:00.048-05:00

Nathan is the resident rocker in our house. He makes it very clear that his all-time favorite guitarist is Angus Young of AC/DC. This is just fine with me, since many of the favored memories of my youth flashback in my brain accompanied by a soundtrack of AC/DC songs. Recently, in what I am now calling the "Year of Nathan," we made memories bigger and better than most all of those previously recorded in my brain. Although not everything in the "Year of Nathan" has gone according to plan, good things seem to be following him this year...and I am really happy for him. Here is an example:

On Wednesday, Nathan was injured during (indoor) football practice. He went up to catch a pass, and his ankle was rolled upon by an opposing player, as they both tumbled back on the turf. Initially, we were told that it was likely that he had fractured a bone and had a growth plate injury. However, after seeing an orthopedist, it was determined to be a very severe sprain. He'll be out of commission for 4-8 weeks. [Wait, I'm getting to the GOOD part.] So, on Friday, he was on crutches. This really discouraged him, until he was surprised by some great friends of ours with two tickets to see AC/DC at the Schottenstein Center. Guess who was the lucky recipient of the other ticket..?! So, Nathan and I headed to the arena after I returned home from work.

Once we arrived at the Schott, a bus picked us up in the parking lot and dropped us off at the door. Seeing Nathan on crutches, the ushers waved us to the front of the long lines and through a side security check point. We were directed to the elevators where we showed our tickets to the attendant. We descended a few floors, and when the doors opened, we found ourselves BACKSTAGE! Everyone had big passes hanging from their necks. The attendant saw my surprise and told us to just show our tickets to anyone who questioned us. We walked past the roadies, through some curtains, and found our way to the floor of the arena, just in front of the stage. I found an usher, showed him our tickets, and asked him where our seats were located. He said "right here." Our seats were in front of the stage, and just 3 seats from the long runway which jutted out from the middle and into the first section of seats. My face probably looked just like Nathan's in this photo. We settled in and talked with a few of the nice people around us. Many were just like me, children of the 70's & 80's, attending the concert with their kids. There was a couple in front of us with very strong Australian accents, who flew from New York just for this show. The air was electric when the opening band, The Answer, finally took the stage. I hadn't really heard them before, but they played what they called "Irish swamp music." It sounded a lot like Led Zeppelin to us, and we became instant fans. Their show ended after an hour, and it was time for the headliners to play. There was not a single empty seat in the place when the house lights went down, and a 40-foot locomotive, spewing smoke and fire, crashed through a screen and onto the stage. This was the start of the most entertaining show I have ever seen. Period. Words cannot describe it. Neither can pictures. I tried to take some, but the light show and smoke effects wreaked havoc with the camera settings. I tried to adjust, but just decided to snap photos so as not to miss the show while messing with the camera.

Sorry for the blurred images...

Nathan called Michele in the middle of the concert and screamed at the top of his lungs, "THIS IS FLIPPIN' AWESOME!" He couldn't hear if she replied. To be truthful, I couldn't hear for two days after the concert. I must be getting too old for this. But it was SO worth it... The boys from Melbourne are all in their mid to late fifties now. Having seats this close to the stage allowed us to see every wrinkle, scar, and roll. A lifetime of hard rocking shows on their faces, making them look older. Angus is a tiny guy, almost troll-like. But man, can he play. When Angus or Brian Johnson walked up the runway, the people in our section placed Nathan next to the railing. During these portions of the show, he had the best seat in the house...just 5 feet from his (our) rock 'n' roll idols! This is a night we'll never forget.

Seasons End II

2008-11-25T22:57:00.023-05:00

Ian just completed his 2008 soccer season. He doesn't get much of a break, though. NEXT season starts in January. He keeps getting better & better as a player. This probably has something to do with the fact that he has a soccer ball at his feet 24/7. Last week, he played in a tournament in Raleigh, NC. His team won 2 games and lost 1, but did not advance to the championship round. He had one of his best showings of the season, assisting on 4 of the 8 goals scored by his team during the tournament. After the last game on Sunday, we attended the ACC Men's Soccer Championship game. In this game, the Maryland Terrapins defeated the Virginia Cavaliers. Ian sported his Duke Blue Devils attire (when in Rome...). It was another great Father/Son weekend full of fart jokes and sports. What else do you need?

Some of Ian's teammates attended the game, too. To Ian's right (in the OSU sweatshirt) is Jordan. They have been friends since the 1st grade. Unfortunately, Jordan & his family will be moving to Augusta, GA in January. We will miss them.

Ian has been invited to play in Europe in the Spring! He'll travel with his U14 Olympic Development Program team and will represent the USA & Ohio against club teams from Holland and Germany. The travel itinerary sounds great, with stops in Amsterdam, Venlo, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Koblenz, Rudesheim, and Frankfurt. I hope he realizes how lucky he is to have this opportunity....and how proud we are.

Yo si le voy, le voy al Columbus

2008-11-21T00:04:00.012-05:00

Since soccer is BIG in our house, we have been loving the recent success of the Columbus Crew. For his birthday, we were able to take Grandpa Keller to his first Crew game. This night, the black & gold were playing in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Kansas City Wizards. Columbus won in dominant fashion, before a rowdy crowd. I think Dad really enjoyed it.... I know we did.

On November 13th, we attended the Eastern Conference Championship, featuring the Crew versus the Chicago Fire. This will go down as the most fun I've ever had at a sporting event. The atmosphere was electric. The crowd of 16,000 was much louder than the 100,000+ who attend Buckeye football games. Ian brought his friend, and soccer teammate, Brad Hakim.

Nathan watched with interest, since he had trained with the Fire goal keeper, Jon Busch, for a few summers. Busch won the Major League Soccer goal keeper of the year award this season, and is still the goalie coach for Team Ohio FC (Ian's club team). Regardless, Nathan rooted against Jon and for a Crew win. His wish came true, as the Crew won 2-1 with a come from behind victory.

After the game, there was a HUGE party in the tent next to the stadium. Inside the tent, we saw Ian & Nathan's old soccer coach, Mark McMahon, with some of his fellow Irish buddies. We stuck around and talked soccer for awhile. Until.... the Crew supporter groups [Hudson Street Hooligans, Crew Union, Local 614, and La Turbina Amarilla] came marching into the tent. After this, we were stuck in the middle of a drum beating, singing, chanting, jumping, and dancing mob. As Nathan said, "dude, it was AWESOME!"

As for the title of this post... this is a chant [among many others] sung by the supporters groups at every game. "Yes I go, I go for Columbus." GO CREW!! Beat New York for the MLS Cup on Sunday, November 23rd.

Seasons End I

2008-11-20T22:36:00.012-05:00

Nathan has had a fantastic fall.... and I'm envious. Through his connections with the Dublin Coffman High School 'Rocks football team, he has met a few famous people. Some of the folks with whom Nathan has had conversations this year:

Kent Mercker (Cincinnati Reds Pitcher)
Jon Busch (Chicago Fire Goalkeeper)
Chinedum Ndukwe (Cincinnati Bengals Safety)
Brady Quinn (Cleveland Browns Quarterback)
David Archuletta (American Idol Runner-up)

Nathan [#88] finished his first season of "American" football a few weeks ago. He developed into a very good player. His coaches loved him, and made him a captain. He played center, and was a true leader on the field. By the end of the season, he was dominating play at the line of scrimmage.

While Nathan played well individually, his team [Cowboys] did not fare so well. His team did not taste victory on the scoreboard this season, although there were many other victories to celebrate. Nathan learned to find the "game within the game" for these victories. This included preventing his assigned defender from participating in a single tackle for an entire game. That's him, fourth row, second from the right, with a scowl. He was very upset that some of his teammates smiled... there's no smiling in football!

For his final game, he was able to play on the turf at Dublin Scioto High School. Here he is [black sleeves & socks] starting the play against the Titans.

Short post....really

2008-10-08T20:22:00.020-04:00

OK....so my last few posts were kinda long. This one will be short, I promise. Hope you enjoy these comics, from one of my favorite blogs - toothpaste for dinner. WARNING: it can get a little crude at times, but I find it to be funny...and the comics are written by someone [not me] in Columbus, Ohio.

Proud to live in Dublin, Ohio

2008-10-04T21:57:00.016-04:00

Something amazing happened in Dublin this past week. Something that made me very proud to live in this community....the most popular kid in school was voted Homecoming King at Dublin Coffman High School. This story was cheered in our family, as we have each been affected by this young man.

A few years ago, Ian played baseball in the Dublin Youth Athletics league. His team wore the uniforms of the Detroit Tigers. Even though he initially had no real connection to any of the players on our team, Matt Storey became an unofficial assistant coach. You see, Matt loves the Detroit Tigers, and would show up to games to sit on the bench to cheer on the "farm team," which just happened to be made up of 12 year old boys. The boys quickly accepted Matt, and began calling him "Coach Storey." After wins (and losses), Matt would lead the team in a trip around the bases, running with a huge Detroit Tigers flag and an even bigger smile. Matt had gall bladder surgery during the season, and to see the genuine concern of a bunch of 12 year old boys was touching.

As waterboy for the Dublin Coffman football team, Nathan gets to roam the sidelines with "Coach Storey" each Friday night. Matt is the team manager. Last Friday, Nathan came bursting through the front door after the game with the big news. It was not that Coffman had beaten Thomas Worthington by a score of 49-6. Instead, his first words were "Matt Storey was voted Homecoming King!" I'm sure this was a scene repeated in many homes around town.

In many high schools, the most popular boy is voted Homecoming King. This scenario was no exception in Dublin this year. However, the fact that Matt Storey truly is the most well liked and popular kid in school is the real story here. CONGRATULATIONS, MATT...and well done, Dublin.

From the DUBLIN VILLAGER
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 2:52 PM
By CANDACE PRESTON-COY
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Dublin Coffman student Matt Storey is all smiles as he gets help with his sash after being named homecoming king before the start of last Friday's football game against Thomas Worthington.

Matt Storey is known as the "No. 1 fan" of Dublin Coffman High School.

He received a new title from his peers last Friday, when he was named king of Coffman's homecoming court.

Tears streamed down Kim Storey's face when her son's name was announced. They fell from several other eyes as last year's king, Andrew Talle, placed the crown on Matt Storey's head and handed over the scepter. Though smiling, Storey kept glancing at the Shamrocks football team that was waiting to run onto the field. A kiss for mom and a hug with dad Ken were all he had time for as he handed over his royal garb and ran after his teammates.

Matt Storey is a football team manager, Coffman principal Tracey Miller said. In fact he's a manager of several teams and for those he isn't, he's there cheering them on. Storey is developmentally handicapped but doesn't let that stop him, his mom said. "He loves sports, loves being part of the team, any team, but he especially loves football and the kids all embrace him," she said. "He is so pure in his feelings and his emotions," Miller said. "He loves this school so much. He is our No. 1 student in terms of spirit and connection to the school. I can't think of too many home events that he is not there when I arrive, leading cheers, encouraging the teams. "He's incredible. He typifies student spirit and the kids all recognize that," Miller said.

Zach Bott, who has known Storey since seventh grade, bet "he had 98 percent of the vote" for homecoming king. "Everybody voted for him," Bott said. "He's a lot of fun." Only seniors vote for the members of the homecoming court, but the entire student body votes for the king and queen, Miller said. "It has nothing to do with his disability," said senior Haileigh McClure. "When I think of Matt, I think of him for his school spirit. He's just really well liked." "I definitely voted for him," said senior Jess Phelan. "He's the No. 1 fan at Coffman. We're fans of him."

What did Storey have to say about all the attention he received at the game and at the homecoming dance the next night? "It was very cool," he said. "It was fun and I enjoyed hearing everyone yell my name when I was on stage (at the dance). It was a lot of fun."

Ken Storey credits the school district for his son's progress. "The support system is tremendous," he said. "This speaks volumes for the school system and the student body." "It's such a wonderful thing. It says so much for the students here at Coffman and for Matthew, too," Kim Storey said. "Matt came home this summer and told me the boys (on the football team) told him they were voting him for homecoming king," she said. Not wanting to get his hopes up too high, she told her son, "I don't know buddy. You never know, but it could happen."

Was he surprised? "I knew it all along," he said, smiling. "I think this means the world to him," his mom said. "For Matthew, this will stay with him forever."

Culture...Detroit Style

2008-09-23T21:52:00.064-04:00

This past weekend, Ian's soccer team played Midwest Regional League games in Michigan. Michele remained back home in Dublin, so as not to miss Nathan's football game. Traveling with Ian and I were two of his teammates, Alec and Rajat. Therefore, this was very much a guys weekend...full of farting and lots of general bathroom humor. Unfortunately, the Sparta team didn't fare too well, but I thought that Ian, Alec, and Rajat played exceptionally well against some of the best competition in the nation.

After the final soccer game of the weekend, the boys were hungry and dejected. Since we were near Detroit (one of the more colorful cities in the U.S.A.), I decided it was a good time to treat the boys to a little cultural diversity lesson. So, we headed for Detroit's Greektown...which happens to be the location of one of my favorite restaurants anywhere - Fishbones Rhythm Kitchen Cafe.

To add to the experience, we parked at the Renaissance Center, the headquarters of General Motors. From there, we took the Detroit People Mover, or DPM....an often broken monorail system which was working on this particular day. Since Ian was representing his 'hood (Ohio), and being very much the "gangsta," he seemed to relish breaking many of the laws in Detroit. See if you can find a few broken rules/laws in the photos.... what a rebel.

As soon as we got off of the People Mover at the Greektown station, we were greeted by some of the locals. This group of quirky individuals included a rapper named "Shadow Klan," who claimed to be the next big rap artist to hail from Detroit. He seemed to be a very nice guy, who just happened to reek of a certain herbal substance. He told us that his raps were clean, and that the boys would like his CD because he rhymed about "the cosmic universe, evolution, UFO's, and science." Politely, I told him that we were on our way to lunch, but if we saw him on the street afterward, we would surely stop and talk with him again.

Our lunch at Fishbones was awesome. The place was just as I had remembered it. Although, it's location in Greektown seemed a little grittier than the mental image I had stored in my memory. The boys surprised me with their orders of crab cakes, calamari, gumbo, etc. Since we were in GREEKtown, I ordered the Saganaki...you know, the flaming greek cheese stuff. OPA!! The kids thought this was pretty cool.

After lunch, as we walked out the door and back onto the street, we were greeted by none other than our new friend, Shadow Klan. Since it seemed like fate (or maybe he was stalking us), I asked him how much his CD cost. He told us, "whatever you want to give me, man." I gave him $5. By the look in his eye, this might have been generous. Anyway, I thought we could listen to his CD on the long drive home. Back on the street, we stopped to watch a blind blues guitarist, who sang a song in which the only lyrics were, "the power of God," sung over, and over, and over, and over...then we listened to a street performer who played an ancient saxophone. He was actually quite good. We also watched an artist doing portraits in chalk. We all agreed that he was extremely talented. We entered a couple of the local shops, which were all selling little Greek trinkets. The Greek national soccer team jerseys were the only items which really interested the kids. Finally, as we were walking back to the DPM station, I was stopped by an incredibly skinny, toothless, female crackhead / meth addict who excitedly asked me something like, "BARGLE NAWDEL ZOUUS?" I decided that the cultural diversity lesson was over, and it was probably a good time to leave Detroit.

So, we hopped back on the DPM, got back to the car, and popped in the new Shadow Klan CD. After about 20 seconds of confused silence, the car was filled with the heartiest laughter I have ever heard. Let's just say that while I have no doubt that Shadow Klan works hard at his craft, he is not a favorite among 14 year old boys from the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He wasn't kidding though, he does rap about "the cosmic universe, evolution, UFO's, and science." Still, you can get an eye-watering laugh from the boys, just by mentioning Track 4 - Monkeys. Nathan was smart enough to do a google search of our new friend, and learned that this rap style is called trip hop...remember the reference to that herbal substance smell?

It was a day we'll not soon forget. However, I will think twice the next time I plan a "cultural experience."

strange, synthesized, organ music plays, while a man gutturally raps the line, "we come from monkeys"...followed by uncontrollable laughter [repeat for 3½ hours or 210 miles, whichever comes first]

Throwin' my hat into the ring

2008-09-10T21:29:00.012-04:00

Today, I did something I rarely do....I got into a political discussion with a co-worker. Many people know that I am somewhat of a cynic when it comes to our elected officials and their motivation for being elected to office. This is especially true for the office of President.

The presidential oath is as follows:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Pretty simple.
Yet, Article II http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Article2 of the constitution shows that the Executive Office is really policed by the people, and offers the ability to impeach for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." It also states that the President's compensation cannot be increased during the term. WHY?

It is my belief that our founding fathers were absolute geniuses, who were certainly guided by divine powers. Because of this, they created a government in which the leader can horribly fail, or at best be completely ineffective, yet the country moves forward with little impact. This is due to the fact that the drafters of the constitution knew that ALL of us are flawed as individuals. Case in point, our country has been led by a few known alcoholics, prescription pain-killer addicts, liars, crooks [or not], and many more than just one philanderer. However, since July 4th, 1776 this has continued to be the greatest country to exist on the earth. WHY? It's because of our people, not due to any one of our leaders. Heck, maybe we thrive in SPITE of our country's leaders! In my opinion, only one man has ever been truly qualified to lead in the manner we'd expect. However, he lived under Roman rule, in Judaea, over 2000 years ago.

Our country has been at it's best when a common cause has been found....like defeating fascism in World War II, or overcoming the Great Depression. Even the immediate moments and days after 9/11 showed our strength as a country...the acts of ordinary citizens, doing extraordinary things, without the direction of our leaders. In contrast, the local, state, and federal agencies reaction to Hurricane Katrina showed what happens when we rely too heavily on our governmental leaders.

Therefore, I am throwing my hat into the ring, and I'm running on the platform that I plan to do nothing but ask for the involvement of the ordinary citizens of this country. Remember, the whole "ask not what your country can do for you" speech? Inspired...so, I'll just embellish it a little bit. Also, I'll promise that I will have little or no effect on whether our economy improves. I will not single-handedly bring peace to the middle east. However, I will ask that we be good to each other.... :)

click the link below:

http://www.news3online.com/index.php?code=36GH2Wel1hjk1T0I3564

A new season begins...

2008-08-17T20:57:00.024-04:00

Last May, after a successful seven year "career," Nathan announced his "retirement" from club soccer. Soon after, he began training for a new sport with the same name. Only now, his football has pointy ends and laces in the middle.

In late July, Nathan was drafted by the Dublin Cowboys. Since he has never actually played the game before, [other than flag football or recess ball], we weren't sure what to expect in his first year of this new sport. However, with his duties as waterboy for the nationally ranked Dublin Coffman H.S. Shamrocks, he has really become excited about football.

Nathan is lucky to be playing for some fantastic new coaches who have really instilled a love of the game in him. His coaches are former collegiate linebackers from Miami (Ohio) University. Using this connection, Nathan and his teammates were invited to attend an alumni Back to Camp day, which included a picnic and scrimmage with the current Miami Redhawks team. I went along for the ride...and had a great time!

The team departed Dublin at 7:30am on Saturday morning. Taking the team bus, the kids arrived in Oxford, Ohio around 9:45am.

Immediately upon arrival, the team geared up and headed for the practice field, which was located next to Yager Stadium, home of the Miami University Redhawks. The Cowboys went through their typical drills, designed to develop quick feet and proper technique. Nathan [wearing the blue practice jersey] worked very hard, but hit a cone. In the photo, check out the intensity of Coach Prochko... this guy is awesome.

This is a textbook three-point stance. Nathan's good form was recognized by Coach Hyzdu. Needless to say, Dad was very proud.

Some of the Miami football players came over to watch the kids practice. By this time, the fundamental drills were over, and the Cowboys offense was scrimmaging the defense, where Nathan played linebacker.

After the scrimmage, some of the Redhawk players spoke to the team. I can't begin to express how impressed I was with some of the young people we met at Miami. They each told the team how they continue to play just for the love of the game, and how they have learned that great effort results in great accomplishments. The Miami players were asked which skills are most important in football. In unison, they replied, "quick feet." The coaches beamed at hearing this. Nathan and his teammates were in awe...and the day kept getting better.

Next on the agenda was an opportunity to meet the entire Redhawks team for autographs and photos. Nathan posed for a photo with Clayton Mullins [#9], who is the reigning Mid-American Conference player of the year. He is also a solid candidate for the Butkus Award, which is given to the nation's best linebacker. Miami University head coach, Shane Montgomery, spoke with the team....surprisingly, not about football. Instead, he talked about the importance of "doing well in school." He also touched on the topic of giving great effort, just as his players had earlier in the day.

After a picnic with the Redhawk seniors, the kids went into the stadium to watch the Miami Redhawks fall intra-squad scrimmage. Nathan was sporting the Dublin "gangsta" look.

The team was given a tour of the locker rooms, players lounge, and meeting rooms under the stadium. They also were able to go out onto the field, and up into the press box. Nathan took the camera from me and took some photos for himself. These last two are his...maybe he has yet another talent?

Not much can bond a father and son like football. Therefore, you can be sure that Nathan and I will be glued to the TV (ESPN) on Aug. 28th (Vanderbilt) and Sept. 6th (Michigan), as the Miami Redhawks will become the team that every true Buckeye fan LOVES to root for...that is, the team which is playing against either an SEC team or the Michigan Wolverines.

The bachelor life....?

2008-07-19T16:47:00.009-04:00

Well, I've almost made it.

Michele and the boys have been in Myrtle Beach this past week with our friends, the Demains. Marlene invited Michele, Ian, & Nathan to the beach, after her husband (Andy) and daughter (Naomi) had to back out of the trip. That left me living the bachelor life for the past week.

Michele asked if I would be upset if she went without me...I told her that I would be envious, but not upset. I believe that there was some hesitation on her part to leave the house and pets in my hands. After a week, I can proudly say that the animals were almost fed on time, the plants and flowers were watered, and I was able to make a few meals for myself. Yet, as proud as I am of those facts, I would have much rather been on the beach....for the second time in a month. I hope they all had a great time. Seriously!

They'll be back later this evening. Therefore, I'm spending some time doing a little more cleaning and yard work, so it doesn't look like I've just spent all my time eating junk food and watching tv in my underwear.... although I don't deny having done a little of that this week.

Tomorrow morning, Ian and I will travel to Cleveland for a 5v5 soccer tournament at Brad Friedel's Premier Soccer Academy.
Here we go again...

Baseball, Hot Dogs, (Cherry) Pie, & Soccer

2008-07-09T22:21:00.042-04:00

It's a little late, but HAPPY 4th of JULY !!

On July 3rd, Michele, Ian, and I watched the Columbus Clippers play the Toledo Mud Hens. Michele's Mom & Stepdad have great seats...third row, directly behind home plate. The game was a good one. Tied 4 to 4 in the eighth inning, the Clippers scored 6 runs to end the game 10 to 4. After the game, there were fireworks. We could also see a little bit of Red, White, & Boom. This is the BIG fireworks show in Columbus, with over 300,00 people attending. As the fireworks launched, many of the players either carried their kids out onto the field, or jumped into the stands to sit with their wives and children to watch. The whole night was such a very "American" experience. Happy 232nd Birthday USA!

Next year, the Clippers will be playing in a new downtown stadium - called Huntington Park.

Columbus' Arena District is really becoming a great spot.

Nathan was one of the 300,000 people at Red, White, & Boom. He went with his friend Logan, and watched the fireworks near the launch site at Veteran's Memorial. He said the show was great...but his stories indicate that the people watching was even better. At age 12, he has already learned that there are a lot of "weirdos" out there...and most of them are just plain comical.

On July 4th, Nathan and I went to see the Dublin fireworks. It was a good show, but was just a warm-up for the annual fireworks extravaganza that our neighbors (Spence & Lori) put on each year. This is what I was really looking forward to this Independence Day weekend.

We invited a small group of friends over to the house to watch the big show next door. Ian & Nathan invited a larger group of their friends. The kids played soccer in the front yard, and volleyball & corn-hole in the back yard. They roasted hot dogs & s'mores over the fire, and drank more sugary, carbonated drinks than they needed. Michele made a tremendous amount of snacks and drinks for the adults, which we shared on the patio. She even made a couple of cherry pies with the cherries we picked from our little dwarf cherry trees. The weather cooperated to make it a great night. Of course, the fireworks were awesome. The neighbors take 2-3 days preparing the launch pads for the fireworks...and the results were unbelievable. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

After the weekend, we discovered that Ian's soccer team was accepted into the Midwest Regional League (MRL). This is one of the top leagues in the nation. The other teams in the league are from Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin and Kentucky. Needless to say, we'll be doing some weekend traveling this year. He will also be playing in tournaments in St. Louis, MO and Raleigh, NC this fall. Maybe with all of this travel we'll be able to drop in to say "hi" to out-of-state friends and family!

Gotcha!

2008-07-04T12:56:00.013-04:00

After day one of the great chipmunk hunt, it's Michele 1, Chipmunks 0.

She caught this little bugger with a live trap and some "Purina Squirrel Chow." As cute as they may be, the chipmunks have done some damage to the walks and patio. Last year, we relocated 7 or 8 of them.

After they have been caught, we take them down the road to a little thicket we call Chipmunk Woods. We allow ourselves to believe that they are having quite the party in there. However, life is probably not as easy as it was in our backyard, where food (bird seed) and shelter were readily available. Good luck, little buddy.

CHIPMUNK WOODS

I'm married to Snow White...

2008-07-03T15:38:00.020-04:00

Michele has done a lot of work in the back yard this summer. The result of the new plants, flowers, and bushes is wildlife. The back patio is now a fun place to hang out - especially for the birds, deer, chipmunks, frogs, squirrels, raccoons and snakes.

Michele is such a regimented person. Each morning she wakes up, makes a pot of coffee, and sits outside while the dog [who is also regimented] does her business. Since animals [including me] have always been attracted to Michele, she has some very up-close and personal relationships with many of our back yard guests.

I get excited every time I see a hummingbird at the feeder. When I tell Michele that I saw one, she'll ask: "was it the green male with the red throat, or the white one? Was it the female with the grey wings, or the brown wings?" She has caught a bunch of frogs this week, including a really cool gold, metallic-looking tree frog. She carries them around to show to me, the boys, the neighbors, and anyone else whom she feels needs to see a frog. Anyway, I think she may soon resort to giving them all names. Kinda reminded me of this image of Snow White...

However, there is trouble in the magical forest. The chipmunks have caused some damage to the patio, and are therefore on the naughty list. So too are the racoons, who have nearly destroyed the bird feeder. The snakes, while a necessary evil, are just not welcome anywhere near the house. So this morning, Michele set a live trap for some of the "problem" animals. I can't wait to see what she'll catch....

Midnight Gardening & Cherry Farming

2008-06-30T12:13:00.063-04:00

This is my favorite time of the year. It usually means more work for me, but I really enjoy the warm weather. I can even put up with the negative aspects of the season (i.e., bugs, sweat, storms) because the positive aspects (i.e., flora, fauna) far outweigh them. Also, I think that the longer hours of sunlight have a direct impact on my soul. I am far happier this time of the year.

With our busy soccer, basketball, & baseball schedules, our yard was completely neglected this Spring. This was compounded by the fact that our lawn tractor was in the shop for 6 weeks! Luckily, we have the greatest neighbors in the world, who allowed us to borrow their mower. [thanks, Sunderlands!] However, there were times when our yard looked pretty shabby. Anyway, each June-July I have about a 4 week respite from soccer. So, I try to do a little yard work each night after work.

The other night, the weather was nearly perfect. Temps were in the low 70's, with low humidity, and with a mild breeze blowing from the west. It was so nice, I just kept working into the night. Michele and I had agreed that we should move some of the existing bushes and hydrangeas, so without much thought to the plan, I just started digging. The reasons for working so late were many. But mainly, it was just too nice to come inside, and the results of the transplanting were looking really good. Around midnight, as I was putting the finishing touches on the last bush, I heard a loud flapping sound by my left ear. Thinking it was a bat, I turned quickly, only to find a peach colored moth fluttering near the lights I had placed under the trees on the patio. It eventually landed on my shoe...and wouldn't leave! I tried shaking my foot, but the moth stuck like glue. I tried to pull him off, but he had a death grip on my shoe. Finally, I just took my shoe off and finished working in my bare feet.

The next night, I decided to do a little cherry-picking. In 1997, Mom & Dad Keller gave us two dwarf cherry trees as presents for our 10th wedding anniversary. We planted the small trees alongside the path to our back patio. For the past 11 years, the trees have provided us with enough cherries for a few pies from each growing season. Ian and Nathan adopted the trees when they were very little. Therefore, they each have their own tree. Ian's tree is a little taller, but Nathan's tree is just as prolific.... fittingly. As the cherries ripen, we place nets around the trees to protect them from the birds. However, this does NOT protect them from the chipmunks. Needless to say, we have some mighty fat chipmunks scampering around the back yard.

2008 has proven to be the best season ever for our little cherry farm. As I write this, we still have over one-third of the fruit left to pick on the trees. Yet, we have packed over 32 cups of pitted cherries. This is already enough for eight pies!

Ian "volunteered" to help pick & pit the cherries this year.

Doesn't he look happy to help?

When I asked him to look a little more enthusiastic, this is the reaction I got - smart a** teenagers.

She Sells Sea Shells

2008-06-29T22:35:00.031-04:00

It's been two weeks since our return from the beach... and I miss it. We had such a great time. These vacations really do bring our family closer together.

Michele spent a lot of time in the water this trip. She and Ian are the sea shell hunters in the family. For years they have hunted the elusive Junonia shell, but haven't been lucky enough to find one. However, they do always seem to be able to bring home pounds of other really cool shells (tulips, conchs, whelks, kitten's paws, nutmegs, etc.). Nathan usually snorkels to find his treasures. The big finds were sea urchins and starfish, but we couldn't keep them... they were alive.

Since we typically spend the entire day at the beach, we bring a lot of STUFF. The boys were [finally] a big help this year, as we had to carry chairs, umbrellas, beach bags, coolers, fishing gear, bait boxes, skim boards, and rafts to our spot on the beach. However, lugging our stuff didn't seem so bad, because the path to the beach was so beautiful.

A full day at the beach can sometimes cause some uncomfort-able conditions. We know this from experience. Some of these issues include: sand and/or small shells in your butt crack, bug bites, sunscreen slime, and that "fishy" smell. This year, we were lucky to have use of the 'Tween Waters Inn pool and showers. Around midday we would hike across the street, shower, take a cooling dip in the the pool, and have some refreshing "boat drinks"....ahh.

On our last night at the beach, Michele and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary. The boys stayed at the condo, and Michele and I were able to go on a "date" - just the two of us. We had dinner at Biddle's, a restaurant near the Sanibel Causeway. We ordered entirely from the appetizer menu. Sashimi tuna, scallops, stuffed shrimp....yummo [yeah, I watch Rachael Ray]. The restaurant was decorated in what Michele described as "Tommy Bahamas". However, I thought it more resembled Rick's Cafe Americain from the movie Casablanca. They had live music...a husband and wife team who played everything from Motown to 1930's swing. They were actually quite good and got most everyone out on the dance floor. Sitting near us was a couple who had to be in their 90's. They got up and boogied often. I hope that Michele and I are still around and able to enjoy nights like that when we are their age. The whole night was romantic...and perfect. Just for the record, this ranks as my favorite anniversary date with my beautiful wife.

This trip started with a very conscious effort on my part to de-stress. As Jimmy Buffet sang, "changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes." For eight wonderful days there was no stress: mission accomplished. Now, I can only rely on memories until the next time we head to a beach. Until then, this is the mental image [from the Sanibel Causeway] I am choosing to use as the desktop background in my brain:

Beaches, Manatees, & Finicky Fish

2008-06-27T23:05:00.040-04:00

This month, it was time for a much needed Keller family vacation. It took only a brief discussion for us to all agree that we should again return to the Ft. Myers, Sanibel, Captiva Island, Florida area.

The beautiful water, skies, and wildlife keep us coming back each year. Our family is very much one that prefers to have a relaxing vacation. This means that we typically try to find the most deserted beaches, stake our claim at the water's edge, and just chill for the entire day. To some, this may sound boring, or even anti-social. However, some of my fondest memories are those spent with my little family, on various beaches, looking at skies like this. This year's vacation provided even more fond memories....

My family travels well. For me, this is a great compliment. There is not much in this life that can stress out a human being more than driving for 18 hours. In fact, the kids started the trip by each offering their impersonations of me driving. That was a humbling experience...but very funny nonetheless. I made a strong attempt to make this a stress-free drive. Yet, the kids have it made, regardless of what is happening with the front seat occupants of the car. In the back seat you would find video games, movies, books, magazines, snacks, candy, drinks, pillows, blankets, etc. To make the drive bearable, we split it into two days. This enabled us to spend an evening with the Pieracini's in Griffin, GA. Michelle and Andrew have such a wonderful home and family! We spent hours talking with them, but we wished we'd had more time to spend. We can't wait until we see them again...and the new addition to the family. Michelle Pieracini is expecting another boy in August! We hope that their family enjoys as many fun moments with their boys as we have with ours. Thanks for letting us stay with y'all !!

Once we arrived in Florida, it was time to determine what we should do. There was very little debate. We headed to Captiva Island, which is literally the end of the road when heading west from Ft. Myers. We ended up on the beach in front of the 'Tween Waters Inn. That's near the bottom right of the photo. It was here that we had one of our most memorable experiences: Manatees. The water in the gulf was as calm and clear as I had ever seen it. Due to this, we could see every fish, sea shell, and animal in the water. While I was fishing near the shore, Ian, Nathan and Michele saw a large dark shape moving along the sandbar. Most of the people in the water ran screaming toward the beach, away from the dark object. My family ran into the water toward it. Their reward was seeing a manatee in the wild from about 5 yards away. However, about two hours later, the manatee came back. This time, Ian and Michele were on a mission to get even closer. They had to wade out over 100 yards from shore in order to meet up with the manatee. Ian made it a little further than Michele did. The 800-900 lb. manatee swam right up to him, so Ian reached out and petted it! What makes this story even better is knowing that Michele's mom and her husband had the same experience, on the same beach, back in May. Other wildlife moments on this beach included swimming within 10 feet of a mother dolphin and her baby, seeing a 10 foot manta ray jump clear out of the water, and finding a live sea urchin.

Possibly due to the fact that it was so clear and calm, Ian and Michele spent more time in the water than usual. However, Nathan is a fish and is always in the water. I was able to do quite a bit of fishing each day. I caught some nice fish (ladyfish, pompano, trout, sailcat), but I was really after the 3 foot snook which I could see swimming around me. They were swimming in packs of 10-20, chasing the small mullet and pinfish schools which were hanging around near shore and tickling our toes. I used live shrimp and pinfish for bait. Nathan and Ian even caught some real nice bait fish with their nets. However, the snook just sniffed my bait and swam on. I know this because I could see them in the water. It seemed as though I could have caught them with my bare hands! A fisherman just 75 yards down the beach was snagging the snook with a fly rod...I bet he caught a dozen of them. At that point, I wished Drew Hebdon was there with me. He would have loved it. Michele, Ian and Nathan tried their luck, too. The snook just didn't like our bait....darn it.

Moms, Soccer, & Track

2008-05-15T22:11:00.029-04:00

Keeping this blog updated is going to be more difficult than I thought.....

Last weekend was Mother's Day. As has become a rather unfortunate tradition in our family, we had soccer tournaments scheduled for the big day. In order to ease the tension this caused, Nathan and I served breakfast in bed for Michele [Tim Horton's doughnuts with Caribou Coffee]. We also gave her gift certificates to Foertmeyers Nursery. A little birdie had told me that Michele wanted some flowers which she could plant for Mother's Day. We hope she forgives us, and realizes how much we love her.

Nathan's soccer team was playing in the Sidney Mayfest Soccer Classic, in Sidney, OH. Nathan had played exceptionally well as goalkeeper on Saturday, playing a full 60 minutes without giving up a goal. Nathan isn't the regular keeper on his team, but he had trained with Jon Busch for two years. For those who don't follow the sport, Jon Busch is currently the top goalie in Major League Soccer. He now plays for the Chicago Fire, but was our club trainer while he played with the Columbus Crew. I don't think that Nathan realizes what a great opportunity this was...for me, it would have been like training with Johnny Bench when I was 10 or 11 years old! In the photo, that's Nathan in the yellow keeper's jersey. He looks mean doesn't he?

Anyway, for as splendidly as Nathan played, his team did not fare so well, losing both games on Saturday. As a sign [of His displeasure?], the Sunday games were completely rained out. The fields ended up under 3 inches of water! The cancellation of games gave Nathan and I some free time. We stopped for lunch at The Spot, which is an Ohio landmark. The Spot is an old original burger joint & malt shop [think Arnold's from Happy Days] right down to the sparkly vinyl stools at the counter. The restaurant gained some local fame in 2004, as President Bush spent some time there. They've documented the visit well, with numerous photos on the walls. I thought it was interesting that all of the employees in the photos were still working there last weekend. We also happened upon a small photo from the 1980's. In the photo, the owner of The Spot was shown sitting at a booth with his grandsons. The owner, from the 50's thru the 80's, was Bob Hepler. His grandsons were Rob, Chad, and Mika Lowe. That's right, those Lowes. OK, so it's not that exciting, but it's just not something I expected to find in Sidney, Ohio.

On our way home, Nathan and I had a chance to stop by Mom & Dad's, so that we could drop off gifts and cards. Mom looked great, and she showed off her new hair-do. Along with gifts and cards, Nathan gave her a Mother's Day corsage which he received at the soccer tournament. Mom looked beautiful and happy. Before we left, my brother Steve and Marge showed up with dinner for Mom & Dad. It was a nice Keller family day...but we sorely missed those family members who were not with us. While still at the house, the tornado sirens went off. We quickly turned on The Weather Channel and saw that a tornado had been spotted near our house in Dublin. In fact, the radar showed the line moving right up our road! I called Michele to make sure that she was taking precautions. Of course, she had heard the sirens too. However, Ian was in the backyard with the neighbor [Spence] scoping out the situation. They determined that the rotating clouds had already passed over, and had never really formed a funnel. It was good for a scare though....isn't Springtime in Ohio fun? Then we heard that parts of Georgia were hit with fierce storms again. Our thoughts turned to my niece Michelle, her husband Andrew, and their son, Toby Pieracini, who all live near Atlanta. The south has been hit hard this Spring. We hope that the Pieracini's have not been affected by the bad weather.

Finally, on Tuesday, we attended Ian's track team banquet. Ian ran track this Spring for his middle school team, the Grizzell 'Rocks. He ran the 100M High Hurdles, the 400M, and the High Jump. He did well in each event, but showed some real natural ability in the High Jump. His best jump was 4'10". We determined that this meant he could completely jump over Grandma Keller's head! He had great form [as you can see in the photo], and was awarded the "Coaches Award" for work ethic, dedication, and performance in field events [i.e. High Jump].

Birthdays, Guitars, & Soccer

2008-05-03T22:44:00.007-04:00

Well, here it is...our blog.

The first big news to report is that NATHAN IS TWELVE YEARS OLD!! He wanted nothing more than a new guitar for his birthday. Yesterday, he and Michele went to Colonial Music, in Worthington, to find his prize. He came home with a red Epiphone SG G-400. It hasn't left his side much in the past twenty-four hours. Today, his Grandpa Lonnie helped him tune it. Using gift money he received from Grandpa & Grandma Keller, Nathan also bought a new cord and glass guitar slide. He's making some rockin' new sounds come from his room now...and making some rockin' new faces, too.

In soccer news [in our house, there is always soccer news], Nathan's team, the Team Ohio FC Dubliners, tied Worthington United by a score of 1-1 this afternoon. This was a moral victory, as the Worthington team had beaten us earlier in the season, three goals to nil. Unfortunately, I missed today's game, as I was [where else?] at another soccer game. However, Michele gave me the play-by-play via cell phone. Nathan played well at left fullback/midfield. He has always done a nice job of starting attacking plays out of the back, stringing together diagonal passes. He has also scored the "goal of the season" for his team this year, while playing against a tough Gahanna FC Arsenal team. In this game, Nathan made a field-length run up the back side, just as the ball was crossed into the penalty area in front of the eighteen yard line. The keeper came out of the goal to intercept, but Nathan made a leaping head flick just over the keeper's gloves, and buried the ball into the upper corner of the goal. I wish I had it on video...it was English Premiership stuff.

Ian's team, the Team Ohio FC Sparta, played in the Round of 16 State Cup today. In a nail-biter, Sparta won 2-1 in overtime. Ian had a rough first half, as he had trouble getting used to the wet and muddy conditions of the pitch. The Sparta team trailed at halftime by a score of 1-0. However, in the second half, Ian came out fired up and helped to set up the tying goal with a dead-on pass, through multiple defenders, up the middle of the field. From there, two one-touch passes resulted in the goal that tied the game with twenty minutes left in regulation. Ian was then moved from his normal center midfield position to forward, as his team tried to close the game with another quick goal. However, the other team, Ohio Elite Academy, seemed satisfied with a tie, as they packed extra defenders in front of their goal. Two minutes into overtime, Ian made a nice run with the ball, up the right flank, to the corner flag. He then beat two defenders with some nifty dribbling, and placed a crossing pass at the feet of a teammate who was waiting in front of the goal. Somehow, he makes this look easy. The win allows the Sparta team to play in the state cup quarter-finals tomorrow. So, we'll pack up the family and leave for Cincinnati by 5:45 am. This is our life.

Ian recently traveled to Alabama with his state Olympic Development [ODP] team. They played in the Southeast College Showcase. Our family wasn't able to make this trip. So, for the first time, Ian traveled without us. His team took a charter bus from UD Arena, in Dayton, and traveled to Huntsville, AL. There, he trained with his team and played against other state ODP teams from Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, etc. He was also watched by several college coaches, and even received some individual praise by the coach of the University of South Alabama. That's exciting stuff for a 13 year old. In the photo, that's Ian in the top row, third from the left...and smiling. Standing next to him is his friend Naoto Koga. Naoto also plays for Team Ohio FC, and is a member of the U-14 U.S. National team pool!